Tag: film

I am, like film lovers everywhere, pretty goddamn pissed that Filmstruck didn’t make it. Chances are, if you’re in the US in a big city, you have access to a good part of their collection through your local library, but it was just so convenient, and so well-curated, and it made me happy. And now … Continue reading “Goodbye Filmstruck”

I actually really liked The Scarlet Pimpernel. One thing I hadn’t known, though, is that the Scarlet Pimpernel is the pattern for so many other masked crusaders and men with secret identities, like The Shadow. The model of a dandy using his ineffectuality in his public life to turn away suspicion from his masked heroism … Continue reading “The Scarlet Pimpernel”

Somewhere, I can’t remember where, someone or some online thing reminded me that this video of classic film stars dancing to Uptown Funk exists: Needs moar Donald O’Connor. Like, just make it all Donald O’Connor. It’s compulsively watchable. I’m still in Greece so come find me on Instagram.

One of the things I’ve noticed on my whirlwind tour of French theater, particularly in Molière, is that it really does seem like the thing we call humor has some sort of universal core. For example, on Sunday my insomniac double feature included Libeled Lady, which I really liked, and it’s just absolutely true that screwball comedies … Continue reading “Madcap Molière”

I‘ve become a huge Letterboxd fan in the time that I’ve been using it. I know it would be disastrous for it to also include television, but with such a thin line between film and television these days I do wish I could give five stars to my favorite shows as well. The interface is … Continue reading “Letterboxd Derring-Do”

Ivor Novello was such a proto-goth heartthrob. Like, throw a blazer on him and muss his hair up and he’d be ready to win the hearts of sensitive girls with very active tumblr accounts. But he’s actually got this really interesting history that I didn’t know much about. I know way more about Noël Coward. … Continue reading “Ivor Novello Silently Stole My Heart”

What. The. Hell. Is. This. Thing. (???) Let me back up for a second. Last night/this morning, I watched Hitchcock’s The Lodger which is an absolute FEAST of typefaces and text design starting with the beautiful censor card, the opening sequence, all the intertitles, basically any time text appears onscreen…INCLUDING in this bizarro magic box … Continue reading “Teleprinter In A Box?”

I enjoyed this more than I think it deserved, honestly. I thought it was shot so beautifully, taking such advantage of Bette Davis's face, and that the tragically repetitive, circling plot kind of worked, for the hammer-loud point the film seemed to be making.